Feel free to email me with any comments or questions
Rick Drozd - rickdrozd@gmail.com

Most locations are from 1949 City Directory
Original occupants may no longer exist




Froghop Gas

FROG HOP GAS


This was located at Belt & Pickett Road
They always had gas for less and for a small station, sure did a lot of business
After being closed for many years, the structure was torn down in 2011





Belt & Pickett Belt & Pickett Belt & Pickett

Les's Chicken Royal Restaurant



Les' Royal The restaurant was locatated at 2701 S. Belt, the owner was M. Leslie Ellis
It used to be where the bank is now located, on the southeast corner of Belt Highway & Pickett Road.

Does anyone have any photos or information about Les's? It was one of the neatest restaurants and had some of the best dining in town. Their French Onion soup was scrumptious. As I remember, the decor was set Mediterranean style.




OLD EAST HILLS
SHOPPING CENTER


Looking Southeast towards JC Penny & Katz Drug Store
Skaggs Drug Store will later replace the Katz Drug Store
Can anyone date this photo?




KKJO RADIO STATION
BELT HWY & PENN


Originally located just outside of St Joseph on South 169 highway, KKJO moved to St Joseph




SHOWBIZ PIZZA
1607 N BELT


In 1985, Showbiz Pizza was located where Toyota is now




DAPPER DAN PIZZA & PUB
1711 N BELT


From 1975-1980, Dapper Dan Pizza & Pub was located here




SHONEY'S RESTAURANT
2203 N BELT


In 1990, Shoney's was located here
The Ford's Quick Lube currently occupies the location



Dari-ette Dari-ette


DARI-ETTE


1310 South Belt Highway



1953 Kiddieland

KIDDIELAND
Circa:1953


In 1953, located on the Belt Highway, this Kiddlieland was located one mile north of US 36 highway intersection (then Frederick Ave)
Kiddieland offered a variety of rides for youngsters plus real Shetland Pony rides
There was a ferris wheel, a streamline train and even boat rides for the youngsters



Frog Hop#1 Frog Hop#2 Frog Hop#3 Frog Hop#4
Frog Hop#5 Frog Hop#6 Frog Hop#7 Frog Hop#8

FROG HOP BALLROOM

#1 photo: The original Frog Hop Ballroom was located on the southwest corner of South Belt Highway and Pickett Road.
#2 photo: The Frog Hop was rebuilt at 2402 North Belt Highway, this is how it looked in 1958
#3 photo: The building currently houses Eckard's Carpet store
#4 photo: The original Frog Hop Ballroom burning in 1945
#5 &8 photos: Inside view of the original Frog Hop Ballroom built in 1928
#6 photo: Guy Lumbardo playing at the 2402 No. Belt Frog Hop in 1960
#7 Photo: Original Frog Hop at Belt & Pickett
The Frog Hop Ballroom that was once located in this building at 2402 No. Belt Hwy
The Frog Hop can still be contacted at:
Frog Hop Ballroom, P.O. Box 6251, Saint Joseph, MO 64505
George Swafford built the last Frog Hop, at 2402 N. Belt in 1958
It then became the site for not only dances, but served a great place for highschool proms and other social functions.
Claude and Regina Hull took over the Frog Hop in 1969 and ran it until 1978 when they were denied a lease renewal and the famed ballroom closed for good.
The Frog Hop had served as both a disco and a country western dance hall for awhile, before Steve Eckard bought the building in 1985. Mr Eckard opened a carpet and wallpaper store in the building and is still in the carpet business today.

Photo #3 donated by Terry McGinnis 03/2008
Photo #8 donated by John Fulmer




North Belt Pizza Hut

PIZZA HUT
N BELT HWY & GENE FIELD AVE


Pizza Hut is building a new Pizza Hut Wings behind this building
This structure will be gone upon completion. Pizza Hut will donate some of the current land to the city so the city can create a 3rd lane for turning onto the Belt



Flinchpaughs Flinchpaughs Flinchpaughs

FLINCHPAUGH'S
REPTILE GARDEN & ZOO

Flinchpaugh's was located at 3727 Frederick, one block east of Junction US 36 & US 71 Highways
The owners were Jon and Marjorie Flinchpaugh
Flinchpaugh's Zoo and Animal Farm. What an attraction for children and adults. In the days after WWII, it was located at the northeast corner of the Belt Highway and Frederick Boulevard.
It was razed sometime during the early 1960's. Alligators, monkeys, birds, and various other animals populated the building.
Photo #3 is 2011 photo of Larry Flinchpaugh

Watch Larry Flinchpaugh's 10 minute video of his parent's attraction on Youtube
Flinchpaugh's Reptile Garden and Zoo

Visit Larry Flinchpaugh's photo gallery - lots of photos


Photo donated by Larry Flinchpaugh




MED CLINIC MED CLINIC MED CLINIC

MED CLINIC
URGENT CARE

Located on the southeast corner of Belt & Mitchell, the Belt Super Market used to be here until it burned down. Med Clinic then built a clinic here. Urgent Care was the last clinic here. It was torn down the 2nd week of March 2011
A CVS Drug store will be built at this location in 2011






Pony Express Motel Pony Express Motel Pony Express Motel Pony Express Motel Pony Express Motel

PONY EXPRESS MOTEL


Once a Best Western motel, in Oct/Nov 2006 it was torn down to make room for an upcoming strip mall/shopping center
It was located directly across from where Burger King now stands.
The Pony Express Restaurant & Lounge was in the furthest building up the hill. We stopped there for drinks on our wedding night,Sept 23, 1966
The 2 end photos show the Captain's Lounge and the Restaurant interiors




36th Street Place


36th STREET RESTAURANT


Originally, it was just called 36th Street Restaurant, they changed the name and called it La Dolce Vita - 36th Street Restaurant

It was located at 501 North Belt Highway, just south of McDonalds
In 2010, the property was sold to the owner of Subway Sandwiches. The building was destroyed and a new Subway will be built in it's place

Photo donated by Terry McGinnis





Cool Crest

COOL CREST GARDEN GOLF



This is the original Cool Crest Garden Golf as it appeared in 1948
It is still located at 1400 North Belt Highway
This is one the very best miniature golf courses in the USA

Built in the 1940's by Jan & Guy Saxton, it's still going strong. Today, it doesn't look anything like the original, they now have 2 beautiful courses you can play on. In warm weather, they are very busy every night. Of course, there is no empty land adjacent to it now. This is now one of the busiest intersections in town

The Belt Drive-In Theater is visible in the upper right background. The Shangri La Motel can be seen in front of the Belt Drive-In. A Ford Dealership and numerous other businesses are now located where the Belt Drive-In & Shangri La Motel were located.




Robert Hall#1) Liberty Sound#2)

ROBERT HALL CLOTHING


Robert Hall Clothing was at 409 N. Belt (Belt & Faraon
Photo #1, donated by Terry cGinnis, taken in 1968.

Jim Summer's father is standing beside the 1964 Chevelle across the Belt Highway in what was then an empty lot. The store changed hands several times before finally being bulldozed down.

Photo #2, Robert Halls was replaced with Liberty Sound Video Store. Liberty Sound was replaced with another video store




Belt MotelTravel Lodge Motel Budget Motor Inn

BELT MOTEL
TRAVEL LODGE
BUDGET MOTOR INN


Photo 1: Originally, this was the Belt Motel
Photo 2: The motel was changed to Travel Lodge
Photo 3: 2006 photo - Currently named Budget Motor Inn
The building is located on the west side of the Belt Highway at top of the hill north of Frederick Avenue.
Budget Motor Inn can be seen on the far side of the Burger King sign. Note that the water tank is also different.




Hardees

Our 1st HARDEE'S


This prime Belt Highway location once housed our 1st Hardee's
Located on the NE corner of Belt & Frederick Ave.
It has been sitting empty now for many years




Y BBQ & Motel Y BBQ & Motel

Y BBQ & Motel


3510 North 71 Highway (North Belt Highway)
The "Y" BBQ & Roadhouse sat on the town's outskirts, currently on the west side of the North 169 and 71 Highway junction. 

(This is currently one of the busiest intersections in the city)
The restaurant housed several slot machines and had 10 cabins in back, which were called, tourist courts. Many of the cabins are still standing today and are occupied by small businesses. On the south side, a filling station used to stand. The building burned down in 1939 or 1940.
Across the highway, where the Mo Highway Patrol now stands, was the Thames Stadium, ball field and race track. On the northeast corner, where St Joseph Tobacco now stands, was the Ogden Restaurant.





Swiss Lodge

SWISS LODGE or 

SWISS CHALET


This building, located at 3101 North Belt Highway, housed 2 businesses during it's lifespan.  
Originally called the Swiss Lodge was also known as the Swiss Chalet. It was located on the east side of North Belt Highway. It was a great place for parties, picnics, meetings, etc.
It was sold & remodeled to become the Monterey Mexican Restaurant. The restaurant didn't remain in business very long. It was torn down & other structures have now taken it's place. A strip mall and a Phillips 66 gas station is now where the Swiss Chalet once sat.



Roberts Nursery

Roberts Nursery

This is a picture of the nursery, owned and run by Glen D. and Mildred Roberts. Located at 3643 Pear. Seven Up Bottling Co. currently is located here. The area where all the trees are planted is the present home of UPCO's Animal Supply. Up to date photos will be added soon.




Implement Co. Farmers Equipment

Farmers Equipment

This is a picture of Implement Co. Farmers Equipment, located just north of the Leo Robert's station. This was bulldozed down and now is the present home of the South Belt Taco Bell. Up to date photos will be added soon.



Roberts Gas Station

Leo Roberts
Gas Station

Hey! Great gas prices!! Built in 1950 by Dara Griffin's grandfather, Leo Roberts, this gas station was located on the Northwest corner of South Belt Highway (Then Hwy 71) and Pear Street. Now is the present home of Car City Chrysler Rental. The block building located in the background was torn down and the grounds leveled out and is now the present home of South Belt Taco Bell. The house sitting up on the upper left hand corner, was moved off its foundation and relocated on 29th street south of Mitchell Ave.



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